A year and a half after meeting at the Academy Tavern, Gerry and I were in the thick of wedding planning and completely stuck in the mud about a venue. We didn't belong to a church, we didn't have the money to get married at any of Cleveland's grand institutions, and we didn't want to battle bad weather with an outdoor wedding.

While we took in an afternoon show at Shaker Square Cinemas, inspiration hit. The theater had seats … and an aisle! And we did love the place, with its art deco remnants and popcorn aroma. I mean, hadn't we spent an afternoon here just about every week since we met?

We made a phone call to the sales office and though they hadn't done a wedding before they said they were game to try.

On Saturday, Oct. 1, 2011, Gerry and I said our vows in Theater 2, with guests watching from stadium seating, snacking on popcorn. During the ceremony, our nephew Colin toddled to the "altar" in front of the big screen, intently looking up at us, eating his popcorn while we exchanged rings.

I feel fortunate that we were able to get pictures with our wedding party by the mural in the basement before it was walled up. But mostly we love being able to return to the theater that holds so many happy memories for us.​Gerry and I pass Shaker Square Cinemas every day as we make our way to EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute where we both work helping others in Buckeye-Shaker create new opportunities for themselves. And every Oct. 1, you'll find us in theater 2 celebrating our anniversary and a place we cherish.

Valerie Maczak-Grim is proud to serve as development director at EDWINS Leadership & Restaurant Institute, and she has been a member of the Buckeye-Shaker community since 2008. However, her family legend has it that during the Great Depression her grandfather grew and sold mushrooms in the basement of his aunt’s house on Buckeye Road.

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Community Anthology Table of Contents

About the program

Who We Are, Where We Live is a free community writing program giving voice to people who live and work in the Buckeye/Shaker community. Participants write stories, learn about their neighborhood, and share with their neighbors. Annually, selected writings are published here in an online anthology and presented at a final reading and celebration.